Blogs from Campania, Italy, Europe - page 8

My last blog entry was in 2015. Needless to say, it is not that I have not travelled over the last six years. Rather, much of life's business consumed the blank white space that is otherwise known as my writing platform. Yes my blog posts are always interspersed with nice photos of the places I've visited, but it is the writing that I come for. And go for. I will work my way backwards through a myriad of travel as I play catchup with my posts. So. Italy. Not just Italy, the Amalfi Coast. Described as "an intriguing mix of sophistication and simplicity". Here there are super yachts, and chauffeur driven cars and five star hotels, set amidst the rural simplicity of precariously stacked villages, farmland, vineyards, cheese makers, churches and small fishing communities. "The link ... read more

Day 10 : Sunday 15 September 2019 : Pompeii A day at Pompeii (€48). After so much confusion about the trains, which was simple, just very poor communication from a tour guide, we made a run for another train and headed off. Packed again, but the old Italian busking men made it interesting. Can’t explain Pompei, but such well preserved ruins and town. You can understand how the town was laid out and how shops were presented, the roads are still in tact. Amazing and definitely hot but we knew that. Decided to shout ourselves dinner at the Grand Marina on the water with as much seafood as we might desire (€70) Seafood = squid, fried whitebait .... Fried fish means fried whitebait (the small ones with bones, head etc) which Ella was very unimpressed about. ... read more

Day 8 : Friday 13 September 2019 : Positano and Amalfi We bought a Hop on Hop off bus ticket to take us through to Amalfi and then we would stop off at the other towns on the way back to Sorrento, big day, but can’t wait. On the bus we climbed, standing room only and head off, and we pick up more and more and more people until you can’t move and the bus is over crammed. Add to this the driver is quite erratic and we’re flying down roads, stopping suddenly, and flying around the corner with very very windy roads, everyone in the bus was extremely motion sick. Someone had already thrown up down the back, and at the first stop in Positano, everybody filed off the bus with very green faces. What ... read more

Day 7 : Thursday 12 September 2019 : Isle of Capri The ferry to Capri (€150) was smooth and quick. Love being on the water again, and the water is so clear and inviting. We arrive at the Capri Marina Grande harbour and there are so many boats and even more people. What to do…where to go. Jodie hits the notes and we head off to find a bus to Anacapri. Scammers offering rides. The bus (€2.5pp) is tiny, we’ll be on the next bus, this one is crammed full……wrong!! All four of us are getting on, and more, and more!!!. Not sure how, you could have picked all my pockets and I wouldn’t have felt it between the crushing people and well the bus driver was exceptional. He came within centimetres of poles and kerbs….how ... read more

Day 6 : Wednesday 11 September 2019 : Rome to Sorrento Took the bus (€1.50pp) to the train station – pretty easy Train (AUD120 prebooked) was awesome, fast (300km/hr Frecciarossa) and comfortable. Hardest part was buying the tickets to get from Naples (main station) to Sorrento on the local EAV train. Finally found them at a newsagent (€4pp). Down to the platform and 5 mins before the train, Ella has to wee. We chose to miss the train (although I'm pretty angry) and went to find the toilet. Didn’t bother to rush as we’d missed the train by a long shot. As we come down the stairs, we find out the train has only just pulled out but was packed to the rafters….this could be a challenge with our bags. The next train arrived 5 minutes ... read more